Game apparatus



March 14, 1939. ROCK 2,150,847

' GAME APPARATUS Filed June 11, 1937 NIW? ATTORNEYS Patented` Mar. 14, 1.939'` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a game apparatus and more especially to a bowling game apparatus.

I'he primary object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character, wherein through the use of balls operating upon a. playing eld certain objects will be set up, the balls: when in motion being subjected to barriers, thereby diverting the travel of the balls and under the setting up of the objects a certain scoring can be had and in this manner affording amusement and en,- tertainment to the players of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character, wherein luck plays an important part in effecting a scoring in the playing of the apparatus, the apparatus being novel in its entirety and lends attraction and amusement to players thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character, which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and effective in operation, neat in appearance, lending pleasure and amusement to operators, strong, durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters indicate vcorresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the apparatus comprises a stand A involving a baseboard I0 disposed at a rearward inclination through the instrumentality of front and rear legs II and I2, respectively, and this baseboard I0 has created on its upper face a playing eld or area I3 from which rises a group or series of spaced pins or pegs I4, these being arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows spaced from each other and thus presenting the pinsI in adjacent staggered relation one with respect to another. At the higher end of the baseboard I0 is built a ball rack or compartment I5 which is disposed transversely of the stand A and has a perforated cover piece I6, its perforations, only one being shown and designated at I'I, permit of the introduction into the rack or compartment I5 of playing pieces in the form of balls I8. The rack I5 at the inner side thereof has associated therewith a gate or shutter I9 which is vertically raised and lowered to allow of the balls I 8 within said rack or compartment to roll onto the playing eld I3 to be subjected to the hazards thereof constituted by the pins or pegs I4 during the travel of the ball down the incline of the baseboard I0 and in this fashion diverting the said balls from a straight or direct course upon the playing field.

Formed at the lowermost end of the baseboard I0 is a series of openings 20, these being of elongated formation and are disposed in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of the stand for a purpose presently described. The longer sides of the said baseboard I0 carry guard pieces o-r side walls 2| while the lowermost end of the said baseboard I 0 has built thereon a shed or canopy 22 which extends over the openings 20 and its back wall 23 constitutes an end piece for the stand.

Forwardly in spaced relation to the openings 20 are circular holes 24 which are of a size or diameter to allow the free passage of the balls I 8 therethrough, these balls being adapted to drop through the holes 24 from the playing field I3 on reaching the lower end of the baseboard III.

Arranged on the baseboard I0 below the bottom face thereof are suitable hangers 25 swingingly supporting rocking cradles 26, these being swingingly pivoted at 2'I to said hangers and each cradle is adapted for independent swing and has carried thereby a display image 28 marked or otherwise formed on a display panel 29 xed to each cradle 2B and this panel is adapted when the cradle 26 catches a ball I8 therein to swing vertically through the companion opening 20 therefor to be visible from the front end of the stand and a ball can only be caught by the cradle when dropping through an opening 20 common to such cradle. 'Ihe catching of a ball by a cradle is productive of a score for the player of the apparatus. The shed or canopy 22 is open at its front and above this front opening is a scoring strip 30, on the forward or outer exposed face thereof 50 24 a determined score can be arrived at by the indicia 3l.

On the inner faces of the side pierces 2| are deilectors 32 which are spaced apart and against which bump the balls I8 in their travel down the incline ofthe baseboard I on the playing eld I3 thereof and in this fashion augmenting the displacement of the balls as created by the pins or pegs I4 during the travel of said balls. The pins or pegs I4 together with'the deflectors 32 disrupt straight or direct travel of the balls upon the incline or the playing i'leld I3 of the baseboard I0 of the stand.

The balls caught by the cradles 26 can be readily retrieved under the tilting action of each cradle from beneath the baseboard IIJ of the stand A of the apparatus When a ball I3 is trapped or caught in the cradle 26 and its companion panel 29 swings upwardly through' the opening 20 therefor, the image 28 thereon will show and be made visible from the front end of the apparatus and in this manner lending amusement and entertainment to the players of the game. Y Y

Mounted in the baseboard I0 to be disposed at opposite sides of the holesy 24 are wire rails forming director guides 33 for the balls I8 so as to direct the same when in motion into the holes 24 and to prevent the passage of these balls beyond the holes in the direction of the openings 20 and in this manner barriers are arranged between the openings Y2|) and the holes 24.

What is claimed is: Y

In a game apparatus, an inclined elongated playing bed having a series of openings of elongated formation and disposed in spaced parallel relation to each other longitudinally of said bed, guard pieces at opposite longer sides of said bed, said playing bed being further provided with circular holes of a determined size and disposed ahead of said openings in the direction of the elevation of said bed, hangers between the openings and said holes and depending from the under side of said playing bed, Vtrough-like cradles supported by said hangers for vertical swinging movement and having display images apart thereof for projection through the openings in said playing bed, deflector pins rising from said bed and disposed from a point adjacent to the lowermost to the higher end of said bed, and director guides rising from the bed between the said holes and extended in converging relation to each other in the direction of the lowermost end of said bed.

FRED ROCK. 

